Eday, North Isles

GUITH a greylag morning, the sea a conscious blue. CALF SOUND orca in a sea blue room, breathing pearls that rise to the surface. GROATHA the plenum of the shed: every part infilled with flutter, glass, sheep turd, gusts of damp. GREENTOFT gunshot punctures a field of geese, their clackety rise a flock of helicopters. THE SETTER STONE an old man steps out of the ground all lines and angles, sun snagged in his beard. MILLCROFT a tree softened house: red willow, alder, pine, eucalyptus rooting. WARNESS a stream hole a pure, dense fall; one ocean falling into another. PLANTATION wren, silver lark, crow woody snipe, curlew, hen hawk day owl, starling. SOUTH END the Varagen, beaded with spotlights curves through the dark round great holes in the sea WARD HILL climbing with the moon, the wind blowing round my mouth— a low note, like an owl.